Dean Potter Quotes

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Dean Potter

Profession : Athlete

Birth : April 14, 1972

Whatever I do, I long to be untethered and free.

Dean Potter

'The Man Who Can Fly' captures my quest for true human flight. This pursuit of the unknown and following dreams that may or may not be attained are the most important principles we portray in the National Geographic Special.

Dean Potter

In most every other country, 'body flying' more commonly known as BASE jumping is legal and looked upon as a beautiful art. Here in the United States, those of us who pursue human flight are treated as criminals and are forced to travel abroad to seek one of man's most fundamental desires, to fly free.

Dean Potter

On the highline my thoughts are simple and clear. Fundamental needs shine through the mental clutter. I focus completely on my breath, my connection with the line, and making it safely to the other side.

Dean Potter

I'm more proud of how many times I haven't jumped than how many times I have jumped. Sometimes walking down, I've saved my life.

Dean Potter

I've never had a close call.

Dean Potter

This concept of turning dying into flying is a metaphor for my basic life principle.

Dean Potter

I'm so in tune with rocks and nature. On any rock around the world, if I hurt the rock, I feel like I'm hurting myself.

Dean Potter

My views are not concrete. I'm open to change.

Dean Potter

The attractive thing about rock climbing: There are no rules.

Dean Potter

When I was a little boy, my first memory was a flying dream. In my dream, I flew - and I also fell. I always wondered as I got older if it was some premonition of me falling to my death.

Dean Potter

I started free-soloing harder and harder routes, kind of proving to myself that I could take control of this, pretty much the biggest fear I had - falling to my death.

Dean Potter

I know it's insane to think that I could fly. But to make it possible, you truly have to believe in it - to go to a place that's not accepted.

Dean Potter

People think that in order for nature to be sacred, you have to separate yourself from it.

Dean Potter

I don't have thoughts of an afterlife. I think dying is like when you swat a fly - it's over.

Dean Potter

I'm addicted to the heightened awareness I get when there's a death consequence. My vision is sharper, and I'm more sensitive to sounds, my sense of balance and the beauty all around me. A lot of my creativity comes from this nearly insane obsession. Something sparkles in my mind, and then nothing else in life matters.

Dean Potter

My fear is with the onset of mainstream interest in extreme sports that diversity will be subdued and eventually snubbed out within our great outdoor community. Shouldn't we question when the leaders of our community try to manipulate our culture into a mono crop?

Dean Potter

I've just always been terrified of having to speak in front of people. When I used to go in school and then I had to do a report in front of the class and speak, I would freeze up, sometimes I would even like tear up almost and start crying and stuff... couldn't deal.

Dean Potter

There are probably people who think I'm crazy for doing what I'm doing and they're probably right. Compared to them, compared to the way they think and feel and are so bound by norms then I am crazy, but insane or enlightened, it's all pretty close. I would say it's just how you look at it.

Dean Potter

I got Whisper when she was a little puppy and I hated leaving her at home, because I would go on these six-to-eight-hour hikes - I would BASE jump every day, and I'd have to leave her behind.

Dean Potter